Tom Parker, who found fame in the British boy band The Wanted, died Wednesday, less than two years after being diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 33.
The singer's death was announced Wednesday on the band's Instagram page. "Max, Jay, Siva, Nathan and the whole Wanted family are devastated by the tragic and premature loss of our bandmate Tom Parker, who passed away peacefully at lunchtime today surrounded by his family and his band mates.
"Tom was an amazing husband to Kelsey, and father to Aurelia and Bodhi. He was our brother, words can’t express the loss and sadness we feel. Always and forever in our hearts," read the post.
Parker's wife, Kelsey Parker, shared the heartbreaking news on her own Instagram page alongside two photos of the singer, one of which showed the couple and their two children: daughter Aurelia Rose, 2, and son Bodhi Thomas, 1.
"It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side," she wrote. "Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence.
Kelsey Parker also expressed her gratitude to her husband's fans for their "outpouring of love and support." She asked that "we all unite to ensure Tom’s light continues to shine for his beautiful children."
She concluded her post by telling fans that the singer "fought until the very end."
Tom Parker revealed in an October 2020 Instagram post that he was "devastated" to learn he'd been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma. At the time, he and Kelsey were expecting their second child.
"We don’t want your sadness, we just want love and positivity and together we will raise awareness of this terrible disease and look for all available treatment options. It’s gonna be a tough battle but with everyone’s love and support we are going to beat this," he wrote.
Parker continued sharing news of his health over the next year and a half on Instagram. A little more than two months after his initial announcement, he shared a photo that showed him lying on a sofa while wearing a baseball cap.
"Hey, I may not be a 100% yet but I’m out here doing it..getting there day by day,” he wrote, adding that he was "overwhelmed" by all the "love and support" from fans.
In November 2021, Parker shared a joyful update, telling fans that he was thrilled to learn that his brain tumor appeared to be “under control" after a recent scan showed that the tumor was "stable."
The development didn't mean that Parker was cancer-free, he explained. But it did give him hope.
“We couldn’t ask for any more really at this point; a year or so in to this journey," he wrote next to a family photo. "Honestly over the moon. We can sleep a little easier tonight."